Combination muffler and heater



Feb. 5, 1929.

H. M. GRAUL COMBINED MUFFLER AND HEATER Filed July 20, 1927 INVENTOR.

l/errwnn Q 801.

BY W ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 5, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMANN M. GRAUL, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN" COMBINATION MUFFLER AND HEATER.

Application filed July 20, 1927. Serial No. 207,037.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a combinationmuitler and heater adapted for use on internal combustion enginesparticularly that type used with vehicles.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device which maybe used as a multler for mulfling the explosions of the engine and alsoutilized for providing hot air for heating purposes in the vehicle.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device ofthis class which will be simple in structure. economical of manufactureand highly etticient in use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of thisclass in which the exhaust gases of the engine may be used for heatingair and in which a battling of these gases may take place to afford amaximum efiiciency' so far as heating is concerned.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of thisclass in which a plu rality of communicating compartments are providedin which the air is retarded and around which the exploded gases arepassed for heating the .air contained therein.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of partshereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by a reference to the accompanyingdrawing which forms a part of this specification and in which,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal. central, vertical, sectional view of theinvention. K

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on substantially line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on substantially line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4: is a sectional view taken on substantially line H of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 2.

In the invention as I have illustrated the same in the drawings, Iprovide a preferably cylindrical housing 9 having its ends closed by thecaps 10 and 11. Leading into the housing 9 through the cap 11 is theexhaust pipe 12, and an outlet pipe 13 for the exhaust gasescommunicates with the housing 9 through the cap 10. Projected throughthe cap 11 is a pipe 14 which communicates with the conduit or pipe15extending to the atmosphere and adapted to conduct into the pipe 14 inthe of the adjacent compartment.

direction indicated by the arrows, air from the atmosphere. Positionedin the housing 9 are a plurality of chambers each formed in a similarmanner so that a description of one will serve as a description of all.These chambers are formed from discs 16 and 17 which are dished outintermediate their ends to provide a chamber 18; the flange 19on thesection 16 is doubled upon itself as at 20 to lie over the edge of theflange 21. The end chamber adjacent the cap 11 is connected incommunication with the pipe 14, an outwardly projecting flange 22 beingformed about a central opening formed in the section 16. A similarflange 23 projects outwardly from the face of the section 17 about acentral opening formed therein. A pipe it communicates with the openingin the section 17 and with a similar opening in the'section 16 v The endcompartment adjacent the cap 10 communicates with a. pipe 25 extendedthroiigh the cap 10 and communicating with a conduit 26 which serves toconductthe air to the place desired to be heated as, for instance, thebody of thevehicle. I

Formed in the flanges 19 and 21 of the sections 16 and 17 which arepositioned adjacent the cap 11, are a plurality of openings 27 throughwhich the exhaust gases may pass in travelling lengthwise of the housing9 in the direction indicated by the arrows. In the flanges 19 and21 ofthe next compartment proceeding through the housing 9, is formed at thelower side thereof an arcuate slot 28 as shown in Fig. 3. In the nextcompartment a similar arcuate slot 28 is formed at the upper edges ofthe flanges alternating from top to bottom as progress is made throughthe housing 9 so that the compartments serve to bafile the explodedgases and cause them to travel in the direction indicated by the arrows.As

clearly appears in Fig. 5, the flange 21 is proeffected and a largevolume of highly heated air delivered from the housing 9 through theconduit 26.

lVith a device constructed in this manner on account of retarding theair and on account of retarding the gases, a compact structure becomespossible as its size may be considerably reduced over the size requiredwere not the bafiling and the retarding effected.

The device in addition to serving its flinctions as a heater will alsoserve to muifle the explosions so that the use of an additional mufiiermay be dispensed with.

The formation permits of a light structure so that economy inmanufacture may be effected while at the same time sufficientflexibility is possessed in the device to assure of its durabilityparticularly when subjected to constant vibrations.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of myinvention I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details ofstructure shown, but desire to avail myself of such variations andmodifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A combination heater and muffler of the class described, comprising:a cylindrical housing; a cap for closing each end of said housing; anexhaust gas conduit mounted in one of said caps and communicating withsaid housing for leading exhaust gases thereinto; an exhaust gas outletconduit mounted in the other cap and communicating with said housing forconducting exhaust gases from said housing; an air conduit extendingthrough one of said caps into said housing; an air' outlet conduitextending through the other of said caps into said housing; a pluralityof chambers mounted in said housing, the endmost chamber at one end ofsaid housing communicating at its center with said air inlet conduit andthe endmost chamber at the opposite end of said housing communicatingwith said outlet conduit; means for connecting adjacent chambers attheir center in communication with each other, said chambers beingcircular and of less diameter than the inside diameter of said housing;a radially extending flange on the periphery of each of said chambersengaging the inner surface of said housing, said chamber communicatingwith said air inlet conduit having a plurality of openings formed insaid flange, the flanges on'the remainder of said chambers havingnonaligned arcuate openings formed therein.

2. In a device of the classdescribed, a

cylindrical housing, a compartment-forming structure comprising a pairof circular discs dished within their marginal limits and fixed withtheir concave surfaces opposed, the portion of said discs extendingbeyond said dished portion forming engag- I ing flanges, the edge of theflange of one of said discs being doubled over the periphery of theflange portion of the other disc to retain the samein fixed relatiomtheflange on said first named disc being provided with a plurality ofspaced openings; a plurality of necks projecting outwardly from one faceof the other of said discs and projected through said openings; and aflange on the projected end of said neck engaging the surface oftheflange of said first named disc for further locking said discs infixed relation, said doubled over portion of said flange engaging theinner surface of said housing; and inlet and outlet conduit meanscommunicating with said compartment forming structure and extendingexteriorly of said housin In testimony whereof I have signed theforegoing specification.

HER-MANN M. G-RAUL.

